Saturday 3rd September 2022

We wait all week for the weekend and when it comes, it flies by.

In a flash.

Now that the orchid season is coming to an end, there is less panic in the weekends to go out walking in the woods, on the downs, along the cliffs. That's not to say there are still things to see, and indeed on Sunday we did do some exploring, or butterfly hunting.

Saturday is now a more relaxing things, but first things first, go to Tesco.

Whitfield Tesco has done OK though the year, we havehad stock of just about everything, and when we needed it, but this week I found there was no soft fruit at all, and for the third week in a row, a washing up liquid shortage.

Jools had stayed behind to hang out the washing, so I whizzed round, and despite spending just a fiver on three ciders for Jools, the bill was still £102.

I come back and whilst I cook bacon butties, Jools puts the shopping away and we have chores done.

And as it was my birthday recently, I got to take part in another podcast, not a full one to myself, but a ten minute piece where I put a question of David and Mark, and we make other light conversation. That took place at nine and was done by half past, so then we coud go out.

Back in March, the National Churches Trust asked for permission to use some shots of St Andrew before they began renovation work.

A contact just posted some shots, so it it seemed right to go and have a look.

Wickhambreaux is a picture box pretty village with two water mills, a wonderful pub and this fine church among the other grand and listed houses.

We drove over via Thanet, then along to Sare and along to Wickhambreaux. I had hoped the church would be open, we last came during one of the lulls in the pestilance, and they would not let me in, maybe the door would be unlocked?

But no.

After walking through the avenue of pollarded limes, the porch was locked, though there is a chance to go net week during Ride and Stride. I do have over 50 other churches I want to visit then too, but maybe I should concentrate on ones I have tried to see inside several times before going somewhere new?

We shall see.

I take a few shots of the village, then we drive the two miles to Stodmarsh for some nature action. At least with there being no rain recently there'd be no mud.

We parked in the village and walked first to the hide overlooking the reed banks; there were geese, lapwings, swans and an egret in the distanc, but no bittern which I was hoping for.

So, it turns out that neither Jools or myself are cut out for twitching, the hours spent looking in a scope for that rare Sardinian Warbler or whatever, so after twenty minutes we go back outside for a walk.

THere was a path called the "nature trail", and we go down there, and I was rewarded with lots of Ruddy Darters, a few Migrant Hawkers, a single Common Darter, and lots of flowers to snap too.

THe wind caused the reed beds to sway and rustle, birds called and occasionally a dragonfly hawked by.

After a couple of hours we had had enough, so walked back to the car, then back via Preston and the butchers to home, getting back at just after one so I could watch the second half of the Auld Firm Derby, Celtic running out 4-0 winners.

Then it was eyes, and ears, down to follow Norwich v Coventry, and City ran out 3-0 winners, and less than a month after being bottom of the table, by five we were top, though other teams were yet to play. But still. Five straight wins.

There was more football to watch, caprese and fresh bread to eat, and funk and soul to listen to on the wireless. An altogether perfect day, or would have been has St Andrew had been open.